Effect of coccidia (Eimeria Maxima)‎ on growth performance of broiler chicken

Abstract EN

The present study was carried out for a period of 42 days using 60 one day-old broiler chickens (Hubbard).

Half of these were infected with Eimeria maxima at 21 days of age by giving 50,000 speculated oocysts to each bird via the mouth to study the effect of coccidia (Eimeria maxima) on growth performance parameters such as live body weight, daily weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio and mortality rates of broiler chickens.

After one week of infection ( at 28 days of age) it was found that the infected birds showed insignificant decrease of body weight and feed intake compared to non-infected group which were 893.46 gm.

vs.

984.67 gm.

and 893.88 gm.

vs.

934.50gm., respectively.

Also, feed conversion ratio (feed/ gain) increased insignificantly in infected birds when compared with non-infected one which was 2.87 vs.

2.36 (the lower value indicates an improved outcome).While, after two weeks of infection (at 35 days of age) the infected birds showed insignificant increase of body weight and feed intake compared to non-infected group which were 1554.43 gm.

vs.

1520.34 gm.

and 1185.88 gm.

vs.

995.00 gm., respectively.

Also, it was found non-significant decrease in feed conversion ratio, which was 1.79 (best value) as compared with non-infected chicken (1.87).

After three weeks of infection (at 42 days of age) the infected birds showed insignificant increase of body weight and feed intake compared to non-infected group which were 2056.94 gm.

vs.

2021.78 gm.

and 1158.75 gm.

vs.

1147.28 gm., respectively.

Also, it was found that feed conversion ratio (feed /gain) increased insignificantly in infected birds when compared with non-infected one which was 2.30 vs.

2.29.

During whole period (from 21 days to 42 days of age) it was found that daily weight gain increased insignificantly in infected birds when compared with non-infected one which was 70.27 gm.

vs.

68.43 gm.

The infected birds showed higher mortality rate at the whole period of experiment which was 13.33% compared to values of the non-infected ones (6.67%).